Japan Railway To Introduce A Luxury Sleeper Train In 2017

Luxury in transport is luxury regardless of the method of transportation. If you include trains in this conversation, you have to talk about Japan and its fleet of fast luxury trains, even before you talk about the Orient Express. As reported by Asahi Shimbun couple of days ago, East Japan Railway Co. is set to receive a new deluxe sleeper train in the spring of 2017. News gets even better for supercar fans, former Ferrari design guru Ken Okuyama has the job to lead the project.

Designed with tourism on the mind, artist’s renderings of the train unveiled on June 3rd shows 2 glass-walled lead cars with observation decks on both ends, a lounge car, and a dining car. Sleeper train yet unnamed, will have 10 cars in total and accommodate up to 34 passengers. The champagne gold colored train will also have a deluxe suite car with two rooms. One of the rooms, a two-story structure will have two beds on the first floor. The second floor features traditional Japanese tatami mats for relaxing and scenery viewing through the window.

New service will be first launched in the eastern Japan and later expand to the entire country. New sleeper train is East Japan Railway’s answer to popular Nantsuboshi (Seven Stars) train operated by Kyushu Railway Co. (JR Kyushu). Nanrsuboshi put into service October of last year is still very much in demand despite its sky-high ticket prices, same ticketing principal is expected for new service as well.

Update – be ready to shell out big bucks. The top suite on the 10-car “Train Suite Shiki-shima” sells for $10,000 per person for a four-day trip from Tokyo to Hokkaido, East Japan Railway Co said.